Copyright © 2006 aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology.The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a small cetacean widely distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic. It is a coastal species seriously threatened by fishing, pollution and environmental changes (Donovan & Bjørge, 1995; Palka et al., 1996) with some populations, such as those from the Baltic, North and Black seas, drastically dwindling. [...

Barreiros, João P.

Rodeia, João

Teves, Manuel

Repositório da Universidade dos Açores

KeywordsPhocoena phocoena, Azores islands, new record,Cetacea, OdontocetiOccurrence of Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea:Phocoenidae) in the AzoresThe harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a smallcetacean widely distributed on both sides of the NorthAtlantic. It is a coastal species seriously threatened byfishing, pollution and environmental changes (Donovan& Bjørge, 1995; Palka et al., 1996) with some popula-tions, such as those from the Baltic, North and Blackseas, drastically dwindling.The species is included in Appendix II of HabitatsDirective (EU).References to this species in the Azores islands, themost isolated and extensive island group in the NEAtlantic (37º - 40ºN; 24º - 32ºW), date back to the XVIthcentury with the report of a stranded “boto” in SãoMiguel island (Silva et al., 2001). Since then, severalauthors (e.g. Drouet, 1861; Chaves, 1924; Ferreira,1935) refer to this species as “regularly occurring inAzorean waters”. It is important to note that on mainlandPortugal, the harbour porpoise is also known as “ton-inha” which is a name used in the Azores for many dol-phins, especially the common dolphin Delphinus del-phis. Confusion between the common names “boto”and “toninha” may have also contributed to the continu-ous assumption that P. phocoena occurs in the Azores.Nevertheless, and despite the fact that other authors(e.g. Clarke, 1981; Carwardine, 1995; Farinha & Cor-reia, 2003) consider that this species does occur in theAzores, it has never been found stranded and its occur-rence was assumed to be dubious (e.g. Reiner et al.,1993; Gonçalves et al., 1996).Between 1999 and 2001 a team from the Departmentof Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of theAzores, whilst working on the project Maré (B4-3200/98-509) carried out a total of 3564 hours of obser-vation, both from land stations and during cruises cov-ering the entire archipelago. A Porpoise Click Detectorwas used to ascertain the presence of P. phocoena.However, there was no visual or acoustic evidence oftheir presence in the Azores (Silva et al., 2001).On the 4th January 2004, a specimen of P. phocoena(Fig. 1) was found stranded on rocks exposed duringlow tide on the east coast of Terceira Island(38º42.520’N; 27º03.031’W).The adult female, with a length of 161cm, presentedno external wounds apart from a shark bite (Fig. 2)which we believe to have been made after the por-poise’s death.The specimen was frozen and we carried out a fullpost-mortem a week later. This examination showed nogross pathology. The possible cause or causes of deathare yet to be determined. One important clue is that boththe stomach and the intestine were completely empty.Biochemical, bacteriological and virological analysesare yet to be made. Samples of the liver, lungs, kidney,ovaries, skin and of sub-epidermal blubber were takenfor genetic analysis. The skeleton was also preservedand will be deposited in the collection of the Museu Car-los Machado (provisory nº MCM Phopho 1-04), PontaDelgada, Azores, Portugal.Authors such as Evans (1987) point to the fact that P.phocoena is a coastal species preferring shallow watersclose to the shore. The porpoises are shy and difficult toobserve:  they do not bow ride or show any interest inboats. The migration of individuals over long distances suchas a crossing from European shores to the Azores, ishighly improbable (Nowak 1999; Silva et al., 2001). Weare therefore led to assume that a local population of P.phocoena does occur in Azorean waters and has possi-bly evaded detection so far because of low numbers.Further research will determine the presence and sizeof the local population which, if confirmed, will deservespecial attention and conservation measures.This specimen of P. phocoena increases the numberof cetacean species in the Azores region to 25 (see Far-inha e Correia, 2003 for the most recent list), which cor-responds to roughly 30.5% of all known cetaceanspecies. In the last 10 years, 3 additional species wereadded to the cetacean fauna of the Azores: In 1995,aqua vol. 11 no. 2 - 200645aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic BiologyFirst record of the Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena(Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in the Azores (NE Atlantic)João Pedro Barreiros1, Manuel Teves2 and João Rodeia2University of the Azores, Dpt. of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 9701-851 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugaland Dpt. of Oceanography and Fisheries 9901-852 Horta, Portugal. E-mail: jpedro@angra.uac.pt (corresponding author)LAMTec - Laboratory of Marine Environment and Technology, University of the Azores, Dpt. of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences 9701-851 Angra do Heroísmo, PortugalAccepted: 03.06.2005 Steiner first recorded the rough toothed dolphin Stenobredanensis, and in 1996, Gonçalves et al. found astranded live dwarf sperm whale, Kogia simus speci-men which was successfully returned to the sea. Pho-coena phocoena is the third species to be added to thelist; Gonçalves et al. (1996) also refer to a highly improb-able occurrence of the northern right whale Eubalaenaglacialis in the Azores.AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks are due to officers Isidro Vieira and Fer-nando Noné, from the Maritime Police of Praia daVitória, who discovered, reported and guarded thespecimen. Thanks are also due to LOTAÇOR, S.A.,specifically to Fernando Arruda and Mário Ilídio, forkeeping the specimen frozen. Our colleagues from theDepartment of Oceanography and Fisheries of the Uni-versity of the Azores, Frederico Cardigos, Ricardo Ser-rão Santos, Rui Prieto and Mónica Silva, providedreports and bibliography. The post-mortem was per-formed at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory with kindhelp from the Director, Hernâni Martins, SusanaBernardo and the technical personnel. Post-mortemphotographs were taken by Pedro Manaças.ReferencesCarwardine, M. 1995. Whales, Dolphins and Por-poises. Dorling Kindersley, London.Chaves, F. A. 1924. Cetáceos que aparecem nosmares dos Açores. A Pesca Marítima, 15, 41-44.Clarke, R. 1981. Whales and dolphins of the Azoresand their exploitation. Report of the International Whal-ing Commission, 31, 607-615.Donovan, G. P. & A. Bjørge. 1995. Harbour porpoisesin the North Atlantic: edited extracted from the report ofthe IWC Scientific Committee, Dublin 1995. Report ofthe International Whaling Commission, Special Issue,16, 3-25.Drouet, J. L. 1861. Élèments de la Faune Açoréenne.Troyes, France.Evans, P. G. H. 1987. The Natural History of Whalesand Dolphins. Oxford University Press.Farinha, N. & F. Correia. 2003. Cetáceos dos Açores.Baleias, Golfinhos e Toninhas. Colecção PatrimónioNatural Açoriano. João Azevedo Editor, Mirandela,Portugal.Ferreira, E. 1935. Gigantes dos mares dos Açores.Açoreana, 2, 74-85.Gonçalves, J. M., J. P. Barreiros, J. M. N. Azevedo &R. Norberto. 1996. Cetaceans stranded in the Azoresduring 1992-1996. Arquipélago – Life and Marine Sci-ences, 14A, 57-65.Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker’s Mammals of the World, 6thEd. Vol. III. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.Palka, D. L., A. J. Read, A. J. Westgate & D. W. John-ston. 1996. Summary of current knowledge of harborporpoises in US and Canadian Atlantic waters. Reportof the International Whaling Commission, 46, 559-565.Reiner, F., J. M. Gonçalves & R. S. Santos. 1993. Twonew records of Ziphiidae (Cetacea) for the Azores withan updated checklist of cetacean species. Arquipélago– Life and Marine Sciences, 11A, 113-118.Silva, M. A., R. Prieto, S. Magalhães, R. Cabecinhas& A. Cruz. 2001. Estatuto da conservação do boto,Phocoena phocoena, nos Açores. Documentopreparado no âmbito do Projecto Life – GestãoIntegrada de Zonas Costeiras e Marinhas nos Açores– Contrato LIFE B4-3200/98-509 (unpublished).Steiner, L. 1995. Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno breda-nensis: a new species record for the Azores, withsome notes on behaviour. Arquipélago – Life andMarine Sciences, 13A, 125-127.aqua vol. 11 no. 2 - 2006 46First record of the Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in the Azores (NE Atlantic)Fig. 1. The stranded Phocoena phocoena from TerceiraIsland (Azores, Portugal) photographed in the intertidalrocky shore where it was found. Photo by JPB © imagDOP.Fig. 2. Detail of the stranded Phocoena phocoena fromTerceira Island (Azores, Portugal) showing a shark biteon its left lower head. Photo by JPB © imagDOP.

First record of the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea: Phocoenidae), in the Azores (NE Atlantic)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Repositório da Universidade dos Açores